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The UFC president had called on Rory MacDonald to come out against Tyron Woodley and make UFC fans demand that he get a title shot.

In front of an adoring hometown crowd in Vancouver at UFC 174, MacDonald came awfully close to doing just that, earning a spectacular unanimous decision victory.

This wasn’t the MacDonald who looked like he was trying to bore Jake Ellenberger into submission at UFC on FOX: 8. It wasn’t the MacDonald who was so thoroughly outworked by Robbie Lawler at UFC 167.

This was something new, a man possessed. A MacDonald who was relentless, attacking Woodley with precision strikes standing up and never giving his American opponent a chance to breathe when the fight went to the ground.

The UFC’s already announced that the winner of the Matt Brown-Robbie Lawler fight that’s scheduled for July 26th’s UFC on FOX card will get a shot at welterweight champion Johny Hendricks, but the 24-year-old let it be known that he should be considered in the mix, too.

“I think I’m ready, I know there’s a big fight with Brown and Robbie. I know those guys have done really well and have been really impressive,” MacDonald said. “I respect the UFC’s decision ... but they should know that I’m ready.”

Most pre-fight speculation had suggested Woodley would go for an early finish, but it was MacDonald who got on the front foot early. The Canadian landed combination after combination and never seemed to run out of gas as the fight wore on.

Even as the clock ticked down towards the final bell, MacDonald hammered away at Woodley, who was struggling to protect himself in the fight’s dying seconds.

MORE CONTROVERSY

For the first two rounds of Andrei Arlovski’s return to the UFC, the only thing even remotely notable was the fact that, well, Andrei Arlovski had returned to the UFC.

Then, Brendan Schaub started the third round with a takedown and unleashed a brutal three minutes of ground and pound that, somehow wasn’t enough to earn him a decision.

The decision had Schaub fuming.

“There has to be some sort of major change with these judges. I have no idea what they’re doing but clearly they weren’t paying attention to the fight,” Schaub said. “I know Andrei’s a big star and maybe they were swayed by the fans’ reaction. Look at the punch stats and statistics then tell me that he won that fight. This started with the bad decision in the Diego Sanchez vs. Ross Pearson fight last week and I can’t believe it happened to me now.”

As for Arlovski, he wasn’t going to let the controversy ruin his big night.

“My arms and legs were shaking during the walk out and the first round. I was very excited but also very nervous to be back inside the Octagon. It feels so good to be home,” Arlovski said. “I wasn’t able to implement (my) plan the way I hoped to. I wanted to move more but Brendan did a great job slowing me down.”

It was the Belarusian's first UFC fight since 2008.

JIMMO DOWN AGAIN

Ryan Jimmo simply cannot put a win streak together

On Saturday night, Jimmo had his right arm nearly torn off by Ovince Saint Preux in the second round of their fight, once again handing the Edmonton fighter another loss.

In his last six fights, Jimmo’s never once won two in a row and has never once lost back-to-back fights.

His loss at UFC 174 will likely keep him on the sidelines for a while, though, as the fight ended when Jimmo told the ref his arm was broken and he couldn’t continue.

Asked what happened, Saint Preux credited the chicken wing that had many in the crowd looking away when the replays were shown, but Jimmo said the injury came earlier.

“The chicken wing didn’t do anything really. I think it was a kick to the forearm that damaged my arm. When I tried to pivot and push off the canvas after the takedown I felt my arm snap,” Jimmo said.

The UFC president had called on Rory MacDonald to come out against Tyron Woodley and make UFC fans demand that he get a title shot.

In front of an adoring hometown crowd in Vancouver at UFC 174, MacDonald came awfully close to doing just that, earning a spectacular unanimous decision victory.

This wasn’t the MacDonald who looked like he was trying to bore Jake Ellenberger into submission at UFC on FOX: 8. It wasn’t the MacDonald who was so thoroughly outworked by Robbie Lawler at UFC 167.

This was something new, a man possessed. A MacDonald who was relentless, attacking Woodley with precision strikes standing up and never giving his American opponent a chance to breathe when the fight went to the ground.